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BY LiLLY Shoup and Becca homa oF TranSporTaTion For america
march 2010
principles for improving Transportation options in rural and Small Town communities
Whitepaper
2
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
authors
The authors of this paper are Lilly Shoup and Becca Homa with Transportation for America. The principles
and case studies were refined with input and assistance from members of the Rural Transportation Round-
table. Roundtable participants include:
chris Zeilinger community Transportation association of americaTim davis montana Smart Growth coalitionrobin phillips american Bus associationdaniel de Zeeuw america BikesLizzie o’hara national Trust For historic preservationStephanie Bertaina environmental protection agencydavid Farren Southern environmental Law centernat mund Southern environmental Law centeramy Linehan national association of development organizationsJason Boehlert national association of development organizationsBob Fogel national association of countiesGwen Salt national congress for american indiansmaia enzer Sustainable northwestKevin Brubaker environmental Law and policy center
Transportation for america1707 L St. nW Suite 250 Washington dc, 20009
202.955.5543 [email protected]
contact us
3
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
contentscontact us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
» defining Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
» Types of rural communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
» Transportation in rural america . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
challenges: a closer Look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
» Transportation Safety and public health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
» Local Self-determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
» regional connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
» public Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
» State and Local Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
principles for action in rural america . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 » involve rural communities in planning for their Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
» case Study: Land-use planning in Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 » case Study: rural planning organizations: Southeast Tennessee rpo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
» improve conditions on existing infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 » case Study: complete Streets in Basalt, colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 » case Study: Katy Trail, missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 » case Study: Fix it First policy in massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
» improve Transportation Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 » case Study: Safety programs in mendocino, california . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 » case Study: improving Safety in isanti county, minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 » case Study: St. petersburg’s pedestrian Safety program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
» improve and restore Freight rail connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 » case Study: The Southern Tier extension railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
» invest in public Transportation and paratransit Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 » case Study: mobility management planning in Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 » case Study: human Services in Southeast alaska independent Living (SaiL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 » case Study: Successful Transit in Bozeman, mT through coordination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 » case Study: Transit options in northwest connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 » case Study: rural paratransit & iTS in Texas’ capital area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
» provide intercity and multimodal Transportation connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 » case Study: intercity Bus Service in Washington State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 » case Study: mason city airport as intermodal Facility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 » case Study: economic Benefits of passenger rail in northern montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 » case Study: The Good news Garage in Burlington, Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
references for Further information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
3
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
resemble what is considered rural in a state with a
much higher density, like Massachusetts. However,
for the purposes of this paper, the term “small and
rural communities” refers to communities below
20,000 people, but could include those up to about
50,000 people located far from metropolitan areas.
This definition is consistent with the Department
of Transportation, which classifies rural areas
in two ways. Roads located outside an area
with a population of 5,000 are classified as rural
highways. For planning purposes, areas outside of
metropolitan areas of 50,000 or greater populations
are considered rural areas and small towns. By DOT
classifications, rural areas represent1:
• 83% of the nation’s land,
• 21% of population
• 18% of jobs
• 2,400 of 3,000 counties
According to official US Census Bureau definitions,
rural areas comprise open country and settlements
with fewer than 2,500 residents while urbanized
areas contain an urban nucleus of 50,000 or
more people. However, most counties, whether
metropolitan or nonmetropolitan, contain a
combination of urban and rural areas. Small towns
and cities are urban clusters of at least 2,500 but less
than 50,000 persons.
In small towns and rural areas, counties are typically
the active political jurisdictions; they are also
frequently used as basic building blocks for areas
of economic and social integration. The following
1 Federal highway administration, planning for Transportation in rural areas. available at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/plan-ning/rural/planningfortrans/2ourrts.html
introduction
Nowhere is it more important to take a smarter and
more strategic approach to transportation than in
rural and small town communities. The current
system for planning, building, and maintaining
transportation infrastructure in rural areas falls
short of meeting the need for access within small
cities and towns and their surrounding regions to
jobs, shops, services, education, and healthcare.
This paper, developed in consultation with
numerous representatives of the interests of small
cities, towns and rural areas, provides a discussion
of these challenges and addresses the need to
provide a more effective transportation system in
rural and small town America. The report identifies
principles for improving mobility in these areas
and profiles best practices that highlight potential
solutions. The promising strategies for responding
effectively to support economic and community
development and provide basic mobility include a
diversity of geographic areas and many population
sizes. While variations in cultural, geographic, and
economic conditions make each area unique, smaller
communities are increasingly recognizing that an
integrated approach to community development is
a key to long-term prosperity and quality of life.
defining Terms
“Rural” is a catchall term that can cover a wide range
of cultural, geographic, and economic contexts. For
example, what is considered rural in a state with
low population density, like Montana, may not
5
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
classified as exurban – that is, located on the fringe
of a metropolitan area -- 558 (23%) can be classified
as destinations for tourism or recreation, and 1,279
(53%) can be classified as production communities.2
Production communities are dependent on mining,
manufacturing, or farming.
Generally, the growing counties tend to be either
exurban counties (i.e., dependent on an adjacent
urban center) or destination counties (i.e., natural
amenities attract tourists, seasonal residents, and
retirees). Exurban communities exist throughout
2 national cooperative highway research program, Best prac-tices to enhance the Transportation-Land use connection in the rural united States
map shows the location of non-metropolitan and
metropolitan counties in 2003 using classification
from the US Census Bureau.
Types of rural communities
Most rural US counties can be classified into three
main community types organized by their economic
engine, population, and rate of growth. It should be
noted, however, that many rural communities do
not fit these broad typologies and in general most
have a mix of several economic drivers.
Of the 2,436 rural counties, 600 (25%) can be
nonmetropolitan and metropolitan counties in the united States, 2003
Source: prepared by erS using data from the cen-sus Bureau
6
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
the community a desirable place to live. These
challenges are amplified by global changes in the
economic marketplace as well as demographic shifts
within the US. Nearly every community struggles
with insufficient funding to maintain and improve
substandard or unpaved roads, improve public
transit services, and upgrade or replace substandard
and deteriorating bridges. Another challenge
comes from the wear and tear on highways by the
increasing load of truck traffic, as freight has shifted
away from rail.
For many rural and small communities, changing
demographics will require new approaches
to increasing available travel options. Non-
metropolitan areas have higher proportions of
older and lower-income citizens who could directly
benefit from increasing the availability of viable
transportation options. These groups, including
persons with disabilities, often remain isolated in
their homes with few options for getting around.
Issues of urban sprawl, farmland preservation, and
air and water quality have already pushed their way
to the forefront of policy debates at both the national
and local levels. These environmental concerns have
substantial impacts on the economies of production
communities, in particular. According to USDA’s
National Resources Inventory (NRI), from 1992 to
2003 more than 21 million acres of rural land were
converted to developed use - more than half of that
conversion was scattered agricultural land.4 Rural
areas and small towns are particularly vulnerable
to increasing economic insecurity, volatile energy
4 uSda’s national resources inventory (nri) database. avail-able online at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/nri/2003/nri03landuse-mrb.html
the country and rely on their close proximity to
urban areas for access to jobs and retail, service,
health, and education needs. Exurban communities
have the highest employment levels and median
household income of the three community types.
Destination communities are centered on natural
resource amenities and attract seasonal residents,
retirees, and tourists. The economic base is a
service economy, focused on providing access to
amenities and recreation and leisure activities.
These communities are most often found in the far
West, Upper Great Lakes, and New England.
Production communities are focused on a single
industry, many of which are experiencing decline
(agriculture, manufacturing, and mining). They
have little economic diversity and are often
geographically isolated. Many of these communities
are found in the Great Plains, Corn Belt, Mississippi
Delta and Appalachia. Production communities are
experiencing rapid job loss and consequentially
cannot retain young and highly educated segments
of the population.3 These communities are also
facing a rapidly aging population, which will require
different economic and transportation approaches
in the near future.
Transportation in rural america
Rural communities face a number of challenges
in providing accessibility, the transportation
connections between the community and its
needs, and livability, the characteristics that make
3 ibid
7
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
prices, and a lack of transportation choices due to
low-density development.
Along with these challenges come numerous
opportunities to reclaim the character of historic
towns and cities, to preserve and protect farmland
that can support the growing movement toward
local-serving agriculture, to capitalize on new
inter-city rail investments, and many more. The
nation is long overdue for a transportation policy
that promotes and supports the revival and long-
term health of rural America. The forthcoming
authorization of the federal transportation law
offers the chance of a generation to rethink the
way we plan, build, maintain, and improve our
transportation system to benefit small towns and
rural areas.
8
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
structurally deficient.6
Increases in safety can be achieved through
reductions in truck traffic, engineering roads for
lower speeds, and educating drivers about the
risks associated with drunk driving. However,
these safety measures, currently funded through
federal and state programs, have proven inadequate
to address the challenges. Too often they focus
on shifting driver or pedestrian behavior and
building wider, larger roads that actually encourage
speeding. Indeed, safety improvements on rural
non-Interstate routes have lagged behind those on
all other routes since 1990. From 1990 to 2003, the
fatality rate on all roads, excluding non-Interstate
rural roads, decreased by 32 percent, while those on
routes declined by only 21 percent.7
Improving public health is linked directly to
encouraging active transportation with safe and
attractive pedestrian and bicycle facilities. This
is particularly a concern for those with few other
options, such as the elderly, the disabled, and the
young. To reach destinations and everyday needs,
these groups must travel on unsafe infrastructure
and alongside highways with excessive travel speeds.
Local Self-determination
Rural communities are buffeted by outside forces
seemingly beyond their control. One of those forces
often comes in the form of state Departments of
6 Federal highway administration, planning for Transportation in rural areas. available at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/plan-ning/rural/planningfortrans/2ourrts.html
7 Growing Traffic in rural america: Safety, mobility and eco-nomic challenges in america’s heartland. march 2005. The road information program (Trip).
challenges: a closer Look
Transportation Safety and public health
Residents of small towns are more likely to be hurt
or killed on the transportation system than those
in urban areas. The traffic fatality rate on non-
Interstate rural roads in 2003 was 2.72 deaths for
every 100 million vehicle miles of travel, compared
to a traffic fatality rate on all other roads in 2003 of
0.99 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles of travel.5
Truck traffic on rural roads and railroad crossings
are ongoing safety issues, as well as maintenance
and repair concerns. Finally, despite lower levels
of physical activity and active transportation, rural
areas have disproportionately higher crash and
fatality rates for pedestrians and also poorer public
health outcomes, with higher levels of obesity than
their urban counterparts.
Many rural areas have experienced declines in
population as particularly younger residents have
migrated to urban centers to seek employment.
In these cases, the rural area has been left with a
mature road system that is a legacy from a time
when there was a larger population. In many
parts of rural America, the condition of facilities
is suffering. Approximately 40 percent of county
roads are not properly maintained and nearly half
the rural bridges longer than 20 feet are currently
5 Growing Traffic in rural america: Safety, mobility and eco-nomic challenges in america’s heartland. march 2005. The road information program (Trip).
9
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
far exceeds available resources.8 Current federal
law includes some assistance for restoring safe
conditions for walking and reclaiming damaged
streetscapes in the form of the Transportation
Enhancement program. But here again the need
outstrips demand as regulatory barriers and state-
level decision-making limit communities’ ability to
make progress.
Most rural areas and small towns lack the resources
to hire planners and designers to create the
comprehensive plans and strategies to make the
most of highway investments while preventing
the damage from poorly planned development
and abandonment of existing town centers and
neighborhoods.
regional connectivity
Providing access to opportunity differs depending
on geographic and economic factors. Small or rural
communities close to larger cities may be growing
quickly with a lot of commuting activity, and may
be concerned with preserving residents’ access to
employment and educational opportunities. At
the same time, more remote communities face
the challenges of declining economic activity
and retaining residents who are seeking career
opportunities or a post-secondary education in
urban areas. Some destination communities may
rely on tourism as an economic base, and providing
regional transportation opportunities for visitors to
reach these communities is essential to enhancing
8 andersen, J; mahmassani, h S; helaakoski, r, m a; Walton, c m; harrison, r. The economic impact of Bypasses. Trans-portation research record. p. 144-152. http://pubsindex.trb.org/document/view/default.asp?lbid=382636
Transportation. DOTs decide whether to build a
highway or not, where to route the highway and
whether they will design that road to be hospitable
to surrounding neighborhoods.
Highways often prove to be the lifeline of rural
communities. But just as often, bypass roads prove
the undoing of historic town centers, shifting
the economic activity away from them while
promoting a form of spread-out development
that exacerbates the dependence on long car trips.
Transportation investments focused on improving
street connectivity, pedestrian and bicycle facilities,
and transit service to community focal points
assists small towns in facilitating reinvestment
and economic development. However, state and
federal policies too often overlook these small,
focused projects in favor of larger investments
in bypasses, highway expansion, and new road
construction. Small towns are rarely consulted in
the state transportation planning process by which
transportation investment decisions are made
regarding public funds. Further, these areas often
lack the staff and resource capacity to provide more
than the most cursory review and coordination
when it is requested by the state.
While some communities have succeeded in
revitalizing their town centers or main streets,
others, remained hampered by bypasses that
divert economic activity from their small towns,
and others still are threatened by new bypass
proposals. Programs such as the National Trust
for Historic Preservation’s Main Street program
work with communities to use their best assets to
promote economic development while protecting
the community’s historic character, but the need
10
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
intercity passenger transportation
and may also serve as daily, scheduled
freight service. Though Congress
first authorized the Rural Intercity
Bus Program - Section 5311 (f ) - in
1979 to maintain these vital services,
the program has been under-funded
and unable to ensure that all state’s
intercity bus needs are being met.
Amtrak passenger rail service is also a
key option for regional connectivity.
Rail service enables all-weather, fixed
schedule mobility to urban areas and
other rural areas. While the bulk of
Amtrak’s service is to metropolitan
destinations, Amtrak also serves
around 180 destinations in non-
metropolitan communities. These
scheduled services are vital to many
communities and require additional
investment and support to ensure that
small towns are provided sufficient
services at convenient travel times
and receive timely access to major urban areas and
regional destinations.
The Community Transportation Association of
America created a visual representation of the
importance of regional connectivity. Using New
Hampshire as an example the map below shows
how comprehensive intercity bus service branching
off of passenger rail system has the ability to
connect the entire state. Rural regional network
services provide localized mobility options, while
trunk lines connect regions within the state to cities
and employment centers.
and supporting that economic growth.
Intercity bus can be a critical element in the
rural transportation system that allows residents
access to the greater region and into larger cities.
In predominantly rural states, intercity passenger
bus services often function as the only source of
The importance and potential of regional connectiv-ity is seen here in the community Transportation association of america’s desired vision for regional connectivity in new hampshire.
Graphic: community Transportation association of america
11
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
county or town. However, transit use is also
on the rise. According to the American Public
Transportation Association, more than 10 billion
trips were taken nationwide on local public
transportation in 2006, and ridership for rural
and small urban systems grew about 20 percent
between 2002 and 2005.9 Transit trips may be
necessary for people who cannot drive, do not own
cars, or where congestion makes driving difficult
or unpredictable. In addition, access to transit can
have a substantial impact on a region’s economy
and environmental quality.
State and Local Funding
Many rural communities have declining populations
and with that a diminished tax base to support
funding for maintenance and preservation of the
expansive system of roads and bridges. Funding new
or upgraded roads outside the federal-aid system to
enhance the operations of large-scale agriculture or
tourist attractions is difficult.
9 Transit and air Quality make a connection. april 2007. na-tional association of development organizations (nado).
The regional connectivity of goods movement
is another critical function of the transportation
system serving rural and small town Americans. The
heaviest concentration of interstate or intrastate
goods movement is along the interstate highway
corridors and the vast majority of manufactured
goods are currently shipped into and out of states
by truck. While the network of roads and highways
connecting rural regions and small towns to larger
metropolitan regions is generally sufficient, the
additional wear and tear on this aging infrastructure
from heavy-duty vehicles requires constant
monitoring and maintenance to ensure safety.
Freight railroad is an efficient and environmentally
friendly mode that has seen steady consolidation in
recent years. The restructuring of the rail industry
has led to the abandonment of many branch lines,
cutting off freight service to many rural areas and
leading to an increase in on-road truck travel. The
consolidation of smaller rail companies also caused
maintenance to lapse on less-used rail lines in many
rural areas. Railroads also pose challenges to rural
areas as many grade crossings are dangerous and in
need of safety improvements.
public Transportation
Although many associate public transportation
with large areas, local bus, paratransit, medical
transport and other services play a vital role
for people in rural communities. The U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research
Service found that public transportation service
exists in 60 percent of rural counties, but service
is limited; about two-thirds operate in a single
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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and foster a multi-modal approach. Some areas
around the country have found regional planning in
non-metropolitan areas has been an effective means
to integrate these discussions about investments,
policy, and projects.
Many smaller communities have found that
maintaining their traditional, town-centered
development patterns – which were designed to
put homes, businesses, churches and civic life in
close proximity to one another -- can reduce their
need to be on the road, especially when reliable
public transportation service exists. With help from
planners and designers, smaller communities can
adopt policies and practices to integrate their land
use and transportation goals while preserving the
rural character and landscape of the region. Areas
that are subject to high development pressures and
have strong agricultural ties such as the state of New
Jersey are taking active efforts to manage growth
and development. New Jersey’s smart growth plan,
called Future in Transportation (FIT) is just one
example of statewide planning. NJ FIT preserves
rural corridors by acquiring open space in rural
areas in order to prevent sprawling development.
case Study: Land-use planning in Florida
Between 1974 and 2002 more than 2.8 million
acres of farmland in Florida were converted to non-
agricultural uses. In 2001, the Florida legislature
created the Rural Land Stewardship Area Program,
allowing and encouraging counties to set aside
areas where special planning efforts would be
made to preserve farm and forest land. Rural
principles for action in rural america
If rural areas are going to receive the support they
need to address these myriad challenges, the next
federal authorization must establish clear objectives
for programs and investments designed for less-
populous communities. The following section
outlines principles for reforming federal policy to
address the mobility challenges in rural areas, and
provides real-world examples of efforts that have
worked, and could work elsewhere.
involve rural communities in planning for their Future
A great deal of the challenges outlined above arise
from the difficulty that small communities have
in raising the resources needed to be effective
participants in planning for transportation projects
and their corresponding effects on development.
Transportation planning should integrate
considerations around various modes (car use,
walking, bicycling, transit) as well as strengthen
support for land-use plans and economic
development goals. Transportation planning may
also provide a forum for coordinating interests
and actions with other governments, such as the
surrounding county, adjacent cities and towns,
and/or nearby metropolitan areas. Recognizing
that the transportation system must integrate long-
term projects to improve the network connectivity
throughout the region, a robust planning process
can prioritize investments, coordinate activities,
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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in the middle. Most of the road runs through rural
areas with extensive farmland, scenic vistas, and
small villages with considerable architectural value.
The whole area is coming under development
pressure from the expanding New York—New
Jersey metropolitan area.
In 2000, the New Jersey Department of
Transportation (NJDOT) initiated a corridor study
of the entire Route 57 corridor with a view toward
developing strategies to preserve mobility and deter
sprawl development. NJDOT determined that
promoting “centered” development and preserving
open space in the region, as called for by the State
Development and Redevelopment Plan, would also
lessen future demands for highway widening.
Area residents participated in extensive scenario
planning workshops, which yielded a preferred
land stewardship is a local government, incentive-
based large scale planning process that seeks to
conserve agricultural land and natural resources on
agricultural land. This is accomplished by providing
incentives to direct growth in a manner compatible
with rural character and rural economies. After
several successful pilot initiatives, the legislature in
2004 made the Rural Land Stewardship program
permanent.10
case Study: corridor planning in rural new Jersey
Route 57 is a 20-mile long, two-lane highway in
mostly rural Warren County in the Highlands area
of northwest New Jersey. The corridor terminates
at each end at small urban centers (Phillipsburg and
Hackettstown) with a regional town (Washington)
10 Florida department of community affairs. http://www.dca.state.fl.us/fdcp/dcp/ruralLandStewardship/index.cfm
Source: urban Land institute
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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case Study: rural planning organizations: Southeast Tennessee rpo
In order to comply with federal guidelines requiring
the involvement of rural officials in project
planning and selection Tennessee Department of
Transportation (TDOT) created 12 Rural Planning
Organizations (RPO). The Southeast Tennessee
RPO members must grapple with environmental
concerns as well as unique issues like using nearby
waterways as freight corridors. Participants indicate
that their power to advocate for their communities’
transportation needs is greater within the RPO. As
a direct result of RPO advocacy TDOT has funded
a study of improvement options within “Corridor
K” a vital connection between Chattanooga, TN
and Asheville, NC.12
improve conditions on existing infrastructure
Rural regions and small towns depend to a large
degree on state DOTs – which in turn receive large
sums of federal support – to maintain their existing
roads, bridges and other assets. These communities
often find that state resources are more limited than
they might be, because developing areas siphon
off resources for construction of new highway
facilities. Some states have responded responsibly
by establishing “fix it first” policies.
Simply put, “fix it first” means making reinvestment
12 Southeast Tennessee Transportation: positioning the chat-tanooga region in the Global economy. nado. http://www.ruraltransportation.org/files/chattanooga.pdf
growth scenario that would focus development
in town centers and dispersed villages while
preserving the farms and open spaces that make
the region special. Residents were provided with
an “implementation toolkit” to move forward with,
including suggested planning and zoning measures
and support for the development of a scenic byway
proposal. NJDOT committed to purchasing
“scenic parcels” along the highway to prevent
their development, to investing in infrastructure
improvements in the main towns, and to
implementing traffic calming measures in the small
villages. These measures included installing visual
“cues” to encourage drivers to slow down in these
settled areas – narrowing the striped traffic lanes,
applying a colored surface to the shoulders, and
putting in signs and landscaping as “gateways.”
Other state agencies also agreed to cooperate to
support the local plan.11
11 mark Stout. Transportation for america
after the corridor project, the streets feature wide shoulders and attractive landscaping.
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preserves system conditions by banking railroad
corridors no longer in active use. Many of these
corridors become rail trails creating recreational
opportunities, popular with bicyclists and hikers.
case Study: complete Streets in Basalt, colorado
Basalt, Colorado, a town of 2,500 located about
25 miles from Aspen, adopted a Complete Streets
policy in 2005. The town also adopted a Complete
Streets design manual outlining overall street design
requirements. The design manual aims to provide
a comprehensive toolkit for the creation of safe,
pleasant, efficient, interesting, and active mobility
corridors. Basalt seeks to preserve its commitment
to walkability and address pedestrian needs. The 34-
page document classifies street types and functions
and design criteria for historic, bicycle, pedestrian,
lighting, and infrastructure facilities.14
14 www.basalt.net/planningpdf/StreetsFinal.pdf
in what already exists the top priority. Expansion,
growth, and new construction come only after
existing infrastructure has been taken care of
properly.13 Regular maintenance such as filling
potholes, applying protective coatings, and
snowplowing all ensure a longer lifespan for roads.
Similarly, regular repair, more intensive resurfacing,
reconditioning or reconstruction of a roadway
ensure that little problems that can be handled in a
cost-effective manner are not neglected and allowed
to become expensive major projects.
As important as it is to ensure high-quality
conditions for motorists, it is equally critical to
ensure the safety and comfort of those who walk
or bicycle in smaller cities and towns. Many
communities have adopted complete streets policies
that ensure transportation agencies routinely design
and operate the entire right of way to enable safe
access for all users. Places with complete streets
policies are making sure that their streets and roads
work for drivers, transit users, pedestrians, and
bicyclists, as well as for older people, children, and
people with disabilities. In rural areas, complete
streets may include sidewalks, bike lanes or wide
paved shoulders, special bus lanes, comfortable and
accessible transit stops, frequent pedestrian crossing
opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian
signals, and curb extensions. While a complete
street in a rural area may look quite different from
a complete street in a highly urban area, both are
designed to balance safety and convenience for
everyone using the road.
Rail-banking is an innovative program that
13 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. http://www.1kfriends.org/Trans-portation/Transportation_policy/Fix-it-First/myths_&_Facts/myths_&_Facts.htm
in Basalt, colorado complete streets policies and street design have increased the number of sidewalks.
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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many downtowns along the route and has spurred
economic development - bike shops, other retail
and B&Bs in close proximity to the trail have all
flourished.15
case Study: Fix it First policy in massachusetts
Some States have taken the lead in adopting
fix-it-first policies, recognizing the benefits of
leveraging limited resources and maximizing
the use of previously built assets. In 2006, Mas-
sachusetts won a “National Award for Smart
Growth Achievement” from the EPA, in part
for its fix-it-first policy, which “ensures that state
spending focuses investments on existing water,
sewer, road, transit, and park infrastructure.”
Governor Mitt Romney created the Office of
Commonwealth Development (OCD). The OCD
coordinates State development policy, overseeing
the Division of Energy Resources; the Executive
Office of Environmental Affairs; the Department
of Housing and Community Development; and
the Executive Office of Transportation and Con-
struction. The Agency receives $2 billion dollars,
which is used to encourage development in areas
that are supported by existing infrastructure. To
address a concern that Massachusetts was los-
ing business due to high cost of living, resources
also go toward supporting urban reuse projects
that redevelop vacant or abandoned building into
lower cost housing. The Governor’s fix-it-first
strategies have also been geared toward support-
ing transportation infrastructure and transit-ori-
ented development. The goal of the Transporta-
15 http://www.mostateparks.com/katytrail/generalinfo.htm
case Study: Katy Trail, missouri
Stretching from Clinton, Missouri to St. Charles,
Missouri, the 225-mile Katy Trail is the longest
rails-to-trails project in the country. The Rail
Trail stretches across most of central Missouri,
following the Missouri River. It also highlights one
of the state’s historical assets – the Lewis and Clark
expedition trail. Built on the former corridor of the
Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad, known as
the Katy, it was converted into a trail after the rail
line ceased operation in 1986. The National Trails
System Act enabled the Missouri Department of
Natural Resources to acquire the right-of-way. The
trail is maintained as a state park and is popular
for its biking and hiking opportunities. It connects
The Katy Trail follows the missouri river and pro-vides scenic views for hikers and bikers.
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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adults and people with visual impairments can
reduce the incidence of vehicular accidents and
prolong the time they can drive. In the year since
increasing the size of street-name signs, repainting
median strips, installing larger and brighter
stoplights, upgrading walk lights, and adding left-
turn lanes along one busy street, Detroit saw a 35
percent drop in injury crashes for drivers age 65
and older and a four percent drop for drivers age 25
to 64.17 While Detroit is far from rural, the same
design ideas apply in communities large and small.
case Study: Safety programs in mendocino, california
Mendocino, California, an agricultural community
100 miles north of San Francisco, made its roads
safer in a low-tech, low cost way: increasing
signage. Many of the rural roads in the county were
built along property lines; many of the curves are
not up to code because they are too severe. The
Mendocino County Department of Transportation
decided the most cost effective route to lower speed
and increase safety was to make drivers more aware
17 The policy Book: aarp 2004 public policies, 10-08.
tion Bond Bill is to modernize the State’s existing
transportation system. The Bill includes a specific
set-aside for transit-oriented development funds
aimed toward revitalizing areas around existing
transit systems.16
improve Transportation Safety
The evidence that rural, non-Interstate roads are
more dangerous than those in more-developed
areas is clear. Roads are important to travelers in
small and rural communities, regardless of whether
they are car drivers, transit passengers, pedestrians,
or cyclists. Best practices in road design have
evolved greatly in the last decade or so, and the
“one-size-fits-all” convention has been replaced
with a “context sensitive” approach.
A number of factors make rural roads more
dangerous including road width and personal
driver behavior. For example, wide roads built for
high speeds coupled with unsafe driver speeding
create an environment that produces more frequent
and more severe crashes. Experience has shown that
road design features that take into consideration
the surrounding land-uses, community needs, and
long-term development plans often have significant
secondary benefits. For example, paved shoulders
on rural roads have been found to extend road life
and improve safety for drivers.
Advances in roadway and signage design for older
16 nGa center for Best practices. issue Brief: Fixing it First: Targeting investment to improve State economies and invigo-rate existing communities.
The mendocino county department of Transporta-tion engineers survey potential locations for addi-tional signage.
david page, Florida LTap
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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the worst in the nation.
Responding to this alarming statistic, and inter-
est from residents in improving the livability
and walkability of the community through the
two-year comprehensive planning process “Vi-
sion 2020,” the City Trails Bicycle and Pedestrian
Master Plan was developed and adopted in 2003.
Since adoption this city has achieved remarkable
results:
• Trails and Bike Facilities - St. Petersburg
has developed 73 new miles of bicycle
facili ties, doubled the number of bicycle
parking spaces downtown to over 200
spaces, and added more than 100 spaces
at bus stops.
• Sidewalks - The city has added 13 miles
of sidewalk on major roadways and
reduced the time to repair sidewalks, from
30 months to 30 days.
• Crosswalk Safety - St. Petersburg was the
first community in the nation to install
the Enhancer, a rapid-flashing rectangular
bea con at marked crosswalks, and has
installed 32 at unsignalized crosswalks
to date. These devices improved driver-
yielding compliance, from the current
base rate of less then 3 per cent, to an
average over 83 percent
• Education and Enforcement - The city
dis tributed over 2,000 helmets to St.
Petersburg cyclists and also developed
a pedestrian rodeo program, the first in
the State of Florida that has been used
successfully to educate younger children
of road conditions through consistent signing and
markings.18 Over a six-year period Mendocino
County decreased its crashes by 42%.
case Study: improving Safety in isanti county, minnesota
The Isanti County Safe Cab program is a
collaborative effort between the East Central
Regional Development Commission, local bars, and
community groups to provide safe and affordable
alternatives to drinking and driving. The service
works by providing cab services to bar patrons
who have had too much to drink. The costs are
split between the partners. The program has been
successful and is in great demand, from 2007-2008
requests from bars and restaurants rose 33% while
Isanti was the only county in Minnesota to report
a decline in DUI arrests. The program has become
a national model on how to lower DUI arrests and
prevent deaths and injuries in a cost effective way.19
case Study: St. petersburg’s pedestrian Safety program
The City of St. Petersburg, FL, as part of the
Tampa Bay metro area, has been ranked as one of
the worst areas in the nation for pedestrian safety
in the Surface Transportation Policy Partner-
ship’s “Mean Streets” report since its inception on
1996. In 1998 and 2002, the Tampa Bay MSA
was second in the nation in per capita deaths or
injuries to our pedestrians, and in 2000, we were
18 public roads Federal highway administration
19 nado 2008 excellence in regional Transportation awards
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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from main line railroads.
Statewide and regional planning efforts that focus
on opportunities for economic development
include the movement of freight as a key
transportation investment. Strategic interstate
design and intelligent transportation technologies
are available to address chokepoints in freight
corridors. The regional economic benefits of
targeted investments in the freight system
include better regional and national connectivity,
increasing business taxes and revenues, and
localized job creation.
case Study: The Southern Tier extension railroad
The Southern Tier Extension is a 145-mile long rail
line through western New York and Pennsylvania.
The Southern Tier West Regional Planning and
Development Board rehabilitated the line, located
in an area where the primary economic activity
includes agriculture and a variety of manufacturing.
This project was a collaborative effort by multiple
stakeholders, including private entities, school
districts, local, county, state, and the federal
government, to rehabilitate a dormant mainline
railroad extension. The project addressed deferred
maintenance issues, such as the washout seen in
the before and after photographs, through a capital
rehabilitation of the line. The results were positive;
since 2001, the number of shippers using the line
has increased from one to 20 and traffic increased
from 75 to 54,000 annual carloads.21
21 nado 2008 excellence in regional Transportation awards http://66.132.139.69/uploads/excbook08.pdf
in safe pedestrian skills. The St. Pe tersburg
Police Department established spe cial
enforcement details between May 2006
and February 2007 to target motorists
who failed to yield to pedestrians in
crosswalks.
As a result of the CityTrails Master Plan im-
provements and crosswalk safety enhancements,
pedestrian crashes have been reduced by over 50
percent since the high of 143 crashes in 2000,
to 70 crashes per year in 2008. In addition, the
number of severe injuries has also reduced from a
high of 60 to 18 the last two years in a row.
improve and restore Freight rail connections
Over the last few decades, the development of
globalized, trade-dependent supply chains has
led to substantial growth in the demand for
efficient, long-distance freight movement. The
U.S. transportation system moved, on average, 53
million tons of freight worth $36 billion each day
in 2002; a figure which is expected to grow to 102
million tons by 2035.20 The movement of goods
production offshore has led to the abandonment
of many rural branch lines and the loss of rail
freight service to some areas of the country. This
results in increasing truck traffic on rural roads,
ultimately increasing road maintenance needs, and
reducing the financial stability of areas dependant
on long-distance goods movement but located far
20 u.S. department of Transportation, Federal highway ad-ministration, office of Freight management and operations, Freight analysis Framework, version 2.2, 2007.
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by land-use decisions that concentrate important
services like jobs, retail, schools, and healthcare in
the towns’ center. As gas prices continue to rise,
public transportation and the mobility options
it provides are also a needed economic relief for
families.
The ability to travel within and between communities
is essential to maintaining independence, health,
and social connections, in short, in ensuring
a meaningful quality of life. Those without
access to appropriate mobility options, such as
walking; obtaining rides with family, friends,
volunteers or neighbors; public transportation; and
transportation provided in connection with services
from community agencies and the healthcare
system, are more likely to experience isolation or
rely on institutionalized care.
“Mobility management planning” is the term
applied to techniques for coordinating a “family
of transportation services” to reach a wide range of
customers (see Vermont case study). This approach
differs from traditional transit systems that are
built on the principle of unified regional service
coverage. A “family of transportation services” is a
wide range of travel options, services, and modes
that are matched to community demographics and
needs.22
One of the SAFETEA-LU requirements is that
projects from grantees under the Elderly Individuals
and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310),
Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) (Section
5316), and New Freedom Initiative (Section 5317)
22 united We ride. http://www.unitedweride.gov/mobility_man-agement_Brochure.pdf
invest in public Transportation and paratransit Services
Public transportation is vital in rural communities,
where many residents may be elderly or poor,
and either lack cares or the ability to drive. The
nature of public transportation service in smaller
cities and towns, naturally, differs substantially
from higher-population regions. To succeed in
rural communities, public transportation often
must operate flexible schedules and routes, and it
often is an amalgam of various services. Indeed,
coordination of overlapping services – such as
medical and senior transport, employer shuttles
and the like – can be one of the major challenges.
Rural public transportation can also be improved
Southern Tier extension railroad before and after revitalization.
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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case Study: human Services in Southeast alaska independent Living (SaiL)
Last-minute trips, as well as trips outside of public
transit’s service area and hours, for persons with
disabilities and seniors in Juneau are now possible
thanks to the SAIL Taxi Voucher Program. SAIL and
Juneau Taxi & Tours joined forces via government
grants to create the Taxi Voucher Program, allowing
persons with disabilities or age 60 and older to ride
for 40 cents on the dollar.24
Registered persons (via a short application) are able
to purchase vouchers that can be used to pay for
taxi rides with Juneau Taxi and Tours. Each voucher
has a $3 value, but only costs the consumer $1.20.
Vouchers are used to pay the fare for those who call
and ride with Juneau Taxi & Tours, including their
new wheelchair-accessible taxicab. Grant funders
include the City and Borough of Juneau, State of
Alaska, and the federal government.
24 Transportation priorities for older americans and For per-sons with disabilities. nelson nygaard [Forthcoming report]
grant programs must be part of a “locally developed
Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services
Transportation Plan.” These transportation plans
must be developed through a process that includes
representatives of public, private, and non-profit
transportation services, human services providers,
and the general public. Transportation coordination
can help to provide more trips for human service
agency and nonprofit organization consumers and
the general public, and link them to life-supporting
employment and services.
case Study: mobility management planning in Vermont
The state of Vermont is unrivaled in its coordination
efforts. The system includes all modes of transit,
covers both urban and rural areas and includes a
statewide brokerage for non-emergency Medicaid
transportation, job training, and welfare-to-work
clients. The Vermont Public Transit Authority
(VPTA), a private nonprofit corporation, contracts
with nine community transportation agencies to
act as coordinating bodies and/or transportation
providers for their respective service areas. One
of the most important programs is the Medicaid/
Reach Up program, which provides non-
emergency Medicaid transportation to Vermont
residents through a statewide brokerage operation.
Coordination efforts also focus on achieving cost
efficiency so that transit providers can maintain their
level of operations without additional funding.23
23 Tcrp Toolkit for rural community coordinated Transporta-tion Services
SaiL Taxi vouchers enable residents to reach critical destinations.
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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headquartered in Torrington, Connecticut and
connects 16 towns in Connecticut’s most rural
county, Litchfield. The transit service is a mix
of fixed-route, demand-responsive service and
commuter options to employment sites. The service
evolved from two independently operated demand-
response services for older persons and people
with disabilities in Torrington and Winchester,
Litchfield’s two most populous towns. Incremental
changes have increased the service area and number
of people served. In the 1980s the Litchfield towns
united and formed the Northwestern Connecticut
Transit District to expand service beyond older
citizens and people with disabilities. Funding from
the Connecticut Department of Transportation
enabled the service to purchase vehicles. The Rural
Transit system created five transit routes operating
on a flexible-route structure and resulting in steadily
increasing ridership. The latest innovation, funded
in part by the Job Access and Reverse Commute
federal program, was Job Links CT connecting
workers with employment locations and expanding
commuter options.26
26 community Transportation. community Transportation as-sociation of america.
case Study: Successful Transit in Bozeman, mT through coordination
Transit planners in Bozeman, Montana enhanced
transit services for residents by leveraging existing
programs and increasing funding to fill in service
gaps. In the past Gallatin County’s paratransit
service was operated by the city’s Human Resources
Development Council and provided services to
county residents, while Montana State University
coordinated a shuttle bus service to connect the
local campus and the Big Sky Resort for visitors
and employees. Although these options provided
some mobility, the public transit system was not
serving all the needs of the region’s residents and
the two systems were not coordinated. Gallatin
County and Bozeman city leaders created a plan
for system upgrades that combined city, county,
and university investments with increased funding
from the state’s rural transit program. The service
upgrade and expansion also established a new
intercity route to connect Big Sky with Bozeman.
The new expanded route also included new buses
and a rebranding of the system aimed at making
transit accessible and desirable to Bozeman and
Gallatin County residents. The result is first-class,
fare-free transportation that substantially boosted
ridership and received positive feedback from
students, residents and tourists alike.25
case Study: Transit options in northwest connecticut
The Northwest Connecticut Transit District is
25 community Transportation. community Transportation as-sociation of america
The northwest connecticut Transit district serves many of northwest connecticut’s residents.
photo: community Transportation association of america
23
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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Transportation Efficiency Act, rural intercity
bus began receiving dedicated federal funding.
Intercity bus connects those with the least
mobility options: Its riders tend to be younger or
older than riders on other common modes, have
lower incomes, and limited vehicle availability.
Passenger transportation in rural areas is provided
by a variety of private sector, not-for-profit
organizations, and various public agencies. The
only supplier of passenger rail service is Amtrak,
serving approximately 180 destinations in non-
metropolitan communities. Some rural residents
are also able to use scheduled air service for business,
medical, and social trips. The Essential Air Service
subsidy program ensures that some small, isolated
rural communities have passenger air service.
case Study: intercity Bus Service in Washington State
Washington State Department of Transportation
is an excellent example of far reaching intercity
bus service achieved through public-private
partnership. In 2005, the city of Walla Walla lost
their intercity bus service when Greyhound made
significant cuts in rural and unprofitable services.
In 2006, WASHDOT received approval from the
Federal Transit Administration to use private capital
investment as local match funds for the new Travel
Washington intercity bus routes. Their local match
funding now comes from the capital investments
made by Greyhound. Traditionally, local matching
funds were needed for each individual route and
provider and were difficult for local communities to
secure. This new funding structure allows buses to
serve much of rural Washington. The project uses
case Study: rural paratransit & iTS in Texas’ capital area
The Capital Area Rural Transportation System in the
greater Austin has is using state-of-the-art technology
to centralize reservations, scheduling, dispatching
and operations of its largely demand responsive
system. CARTS serves nine predominantly rural
counties, reaching 123 communities across 7,500
square miles and providing fixed-route transit,
inter-county, commuter and on-call services.
About 75% of trips are paratransit trips, on-call
services for senior citizens and disabled individuals.
Using a sophisticated radio-data communications
network and computer-assisted scheduling,
CARTS provides advance reservation, shared ride
van service with its Community Transit system to
thousands of Central Texas customers. With an
investment in sophisticated two-way radio system
and computerized scheduling CARTS can provide
more efficient scheduling and services that in turn
improves customers level of service. 27
provide intercity and multimodal Transportation connectivityIntercity bus service is especially crucial to
providing services for communities in which air
or passenger rail options are not readily available
or affordable. Federal and state subsidies have
supported these services for more than 50 years.
Beginning in 1991, with the Intermodal Surface
27 http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/JpodocS/repTS_Te/13784.html#_Toc29270673
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Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
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case Study: mason city airport as intermodal Facility
Collaboration between Jefferson Lines, an
intercity bus provider and the Mason City Airport
resulted in the small regional airport becoming an
intermodal facility. Mason City, Iowa, is a town
of 30,000 about 2 hours south of Minneapolis.
The Mason City Airport is a regional airport that
is supported with funding through the Essential
Air Service program. The town has intercity bus
service provided by Jefferson Lines to a number of
the FTA 5311 (f ) Private Match option, allowing
the operator of the Grapeline, servicing Walla Walla
and Pasco, to receive full reimbursement for the
operating deficit.28
As the map of Washington State intercity bus
service shows, a system to trunk lines and feeder
routes has been used to link small towns and rural
areas to regional centers. The regional transportation
centers are then linked to major cities, airports, and
other connection points.
28 Washington department of Transportation. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Transit/intercity/news.htm
Graphic: Washington department of Transportation
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communities served, no reasonable
alternative.
• Direct spending by Amtrak-using
nonresident travelers in Montana and by
Amtrak is conservatively estimated to total
between $5.3 and $5.7 million annually.
• The re-spending of these dollars in
Montana is conservatively estimated
at $0.515 million personal income for
Montana residents annually, which in turn
generates 30 Montana jobs. As an example,
the Empire Builder supports bus service
at Amtrak transfer points at Whitefish,
Cut Bank and Shelby, and BNSF fueling
facilities and various retail establishments
in Havre, not to mention jobs associated
with lodging and recreation at Glacier
National Park and other locations in
Montana.
• The benefits (money saved, automobile
costs avoided, lower accident probability,
reduced highway maintenance, etc.)
associated with using Amtrak intercity
transportation total at least $7.6 million
annually.
• Expenditures by nonresident Empire
Builder passengers in Montana result in
the addition of $135,000 annually to state
and local tax revenues.
Overarching all of these economic benefits,
Amtrak’s Empire Builder as an institution is no
small part of everyday life to many Montanans
who live in rural isolation along the line and who
depend upon it. The study concludes that Montana
residents living in areas where population density
can be as low as one person per square mile receive
important quality of life benefits from Empire
locations, including 3 daily runs to Minneapolis.
Jefferson Lines worked with the owner of the
restaurant located at the airport to convince the
port authority to allow the bus to use the airport
as a station stop. With the approval of the port
authority Jefferson Lines moved a customer center
to the airport which provides a convenient place
for rural demand response services to transfer
passengers, purchase tickets, and connect with the
local transit system. The increase in traffic allowed
the restaurant to stay open and the connection of
the regional airport and intercity bus line made the
services more useful and useable to people in the
smaller surrounding communities. 29
case Study: economic Benefits of passenger rail in northern montana
The Empire Builder is an Amtrak passenger line
running through Northern Montana that serves 12
Montana communities. A study for the Montana
Department of Transportation found:
• Amtrak’s Empire Builder is an essential
transportation service for which there
is, by and large in most of the Montana
29 AmericanBusAssociation
photo: mason city Government
26
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
rides annually [throughout New England]!”
Through multiple, innovative programs, Good News
Garage provides clients with transportation options
that were not accessible before, increasing their access to
employment, childcare, education, health services, and
other important resources. Good News Garage recognizes
the tremendous impact that transportation – and a lack
of trans portation options – can have on a household,
and strives to provide options that address the unique
needs of their clients. Their programs address the needs of
residents by providing the mobility and flexibility that are
so important in the rural com munities they serve.
Good News Garage’s Ready To Go program, similar
demand-responsive transit programs, and their clients
would benefit greatly from expanded programs and
policies supporting alternative transportation options and
cleaner transporta tion. It is these innovative, flexible, and
demand-responsive programs – tailored to the unique
needs of rural communities – that provide trans portation
options for these families and provide access to the
employment, health, education, and other services that
they rely on.
Builder that those who live in metropolitan areas
take for granted. DOT interviewers asked Montana
mayors and residents “What would be the impact
if Amtrak service is cancelled?” The consistent
answer: “Devastating.”
case Study: The Good news Garage in Burlington, Vermont
Founded in 1996, the Good News Garage in Burlington,
Vermont is an organization ad dressing the transportation
needs of low-income families throughout New England.
The organi zation repairs donated cars, trucks, and vans,
and gives them to families who cannot afford other
transportation options. Through their Wheels To Work
program, Good News Garage provides low-income
families with a fully inspected and reconditioned vehicle,
which they use to access employment, education, medical
appointments, childcare, and affordable housing options.
The organization also provides financial and fundrais ing
assistance for low-income, working families to purchase
their own vehicles at an affordable price.
Ready To Go, another program of Good News Garage,
is seeing tremendous demand by clients in Vermont.
“Clients receive rides to work, job interviews and
training programs, school, and non-emergency medical
appointments, as well as childcare that supports these
activities… Ready To Go provides more than 50,000
27
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
conclusion
Rural and small communities face a mix of
economic development, public health, housing,
and transportation challenges that are not being
met under existing national policy. The next
federal transportation authorization provides
an opportunity to meet some of these needs by
creating an integrated, regional approach to long-
term planning and short-term project selection.
The next-generation federal authorization must
establish clear objectives that include goals for
programs and investments that apply expressly to
less-populous communities. Transportation for
America and the Rural Roundtable participants
will continue to work using these principles for
reforming federal policy to address the mobility
challenges in rural areas. The real-world examples of
efforts that have worked, and could work elsewhere
described in this paper demonstrate the desire for
innovative solutions that lie ahead.
28
Principles for Improving Transportation Options in Rural and Small Town Communities
Whitepaper
Public Transportation on the Move in Rural
America. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2008.
Available at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/
publictrans.htm
Planning for Transportation in Rural Areas.
Federal Highway Administration, 2001. Available
at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/rural/plan-
ningfortrans/ruralguide.pdf
Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Handbook.
Federal Highway Administration, 2007. Available
at: http://www.ite.org/bookstore/gradecrossing/
lo_res_RR_BOOK.pdf
Shortline Railroads: Saving An Endangered
Species of Freight Transport. National Associa-
tion of Development Organizations, 2008. Avail-
able at: http://66.132.139.69/uploads/shortline.
Southeast Tennessee Transportation: Po-
sitioning the Chattanooga Region in the
Global Economy. National Association of
Development Organizations, 2007. Available at:
http://66.132.139.69/uploads/chattanooga.pdf
references for Further information
2008 Excellence in Regional Transporta-
tion Awards. National Association of Devel-
opment Organizations, 2008. Available at:
http://66.132.139.69/uploads/excbook08.pdf
Analysis of the Economic Benefits of The Am-
trak Empire Builder to Montana. R.L. Banks
& Associates, Inc., 2003. Available at: http://
www.mdt.mt.gov/publications/docs/brochures/
railways/empire_builder.pdf
Best Practices to Enhance the Transportation-
Land Use Connection in the Rural United
States. National Cooperative Highway Research
Program, 2007. Available at: http://onlinepubs.
trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_582a.pdf
Effective Approaches to Meeting Rural In-
tercity Bus Transportation Needs. Transit
Cooperative Research Program, 2002. Available
at: http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/tcrp/
tcrp_rpt_79.pdf
Metropolitan and Rural Transportation
Planning: Case Studies and Checklists for
Regional Collaboration. National Association of
Development Organizations, 2009. Available at:
http://66.132.139.69/uploads/rpompo.pdf